1. Technical Field
This disclosure relates to an image forming apparatus capable of forming images on both faces of a sheet of recording media (hereinafter, simply referred to as “sheet”), and more specifically to an image forming apparatus capable of forming images on both sides of a sheet with an image forming device and a conveyance belt disposed opposing the image forming device.
2. Description of the Related Art
Image forming apparatuses are used as printers, facsimile machines, copiers, plotters, or multi-functional devices having two or more of the foregoing capabilities. Electrophotographic or other type of image forming apparatuses, may have a replaceable unit in which several internal components are integrated. For the replaceable unit, for example, a replacement method is known in which, by opening a cover covering the internal components, an operator can draw the replaceable unit for replacement. In another replacement method, the replaceable unit, e.g., a process cartridge or a charging unit moves with opening of the cover.
To provide an image forming apparatus capable of minimizing the setting space and production cost without reducing the inserting functionality of a detachable/attachable process cartridge and the ease of removal of jammed sheets, for example, JP-2005-242213-A proposes an image forming apparatus having an interlocking mechanism to move the process cartridge by press-contacting fixing members each other by a press contacting mechanism or releasing the press contact of the fixing members by a press-contact releasing mechanism with movement of the openable cover. For the image forming apparatus, opening the cover allows release of a fixing pressure, removal of the cartridge, and removal of jammed sheets in the apparatus. Specifically, the interlocking mechanism allows the process cartridge serving as the replaceable unit to be simply removed by movement of the openable cover. By opening the cover, a lever for moving the replaceable unit (process cartridge) to a designated position is separated from the replaceable unit, and the replaceable unit fixed at (urged with springs toward) an apparatus body can be drawn out. The replaceable unit has grips, and by opening the cover, an operator can obtain a large space enough to put his/her hands into the body, thus allowing the operator to grip the grips to draw the replaceable unit out.
JP-2005-195813-A proposes to modularize a charging device and other devices to replace components according to their product lives. In the art, by opening the cover, an operator can separately remove the modularized units for replacement.
In conventional arts like those described in JP-2005-242213-A and JP-2005-195813-A, when the cover is open, there is a large space enough for replacement work, thus allowing an operator to push his/her hands into the body to drawn out the replaceable unit.
Meanwhile, to allow operator's front operation with minimum increase in the apparatus size and the number of components, the present applicant proposes an inkjet-type image forming apparatus to eject ink in a substantially horizontal direction while conveying a recording sheet upward in a substantially vertical direction. In such a configuration, for example, in a case where a charging roller is integrated with other components as a single replaceable unit, there may be little space enough for an operator to put his/her hands into the body to draw the replaceable charging unit out from the body when an openable cover is opened. Accordingly, securing a large space for replacement work in such a configuration will increase the apparatus size, thus resulting in increased cost.